OKLAHOMA
§2-1301-215.
§2-1301-215.
The Governor, on behalf of this state, is hereby authorized to
execute a compact, in substantially the following form, with any one
or more of the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas,
and the Legislature hereby signifies in advance its approval and
ratification of such compact:
SOUTH CENTRAL INTERSTATE FOREST
FIRE PROTECTION COMPACT
ARTICLE I.
The purpose of this compact is to promote effective prevention and
control of forest fires in the South Central region of the United
States by the development of integrated forest fire plans, by the
maintenance of adequate forest fire fighting services by the member
states, by providing for mutual aid in fighting forest fires among the
compacting states of the region and with states which are party to
other Regional Forest Fire Protection compacts or agreements, and for
more adequate forest development.
ARTICLE II.
This compact shall become operative immediately as to those states
ratifying it whenever any two or more of the states of Arkansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas which are contiguous have
ratified it and Congress has given consent thereto. Any state not
mentioned in this article which is contiguous with any member state
may become a party to this compact, subject to approval by the
Legislature of each of the member states.
ARTICLE III.
In each state, the state forester or officer holding the
equivalent position who is responsible for forest fire control shall
act as compact administrator for that state and shall consult with
like officials of the other member states and shall implement
cooperation between such states in forest fire prevention and control.
The compact administrators of the member states shall organize to
coordinate the services of the member states and provide
administrative integration in carrying out the purposes of this
compact.
There shall be established an advisory committee of legislators,
forestry commission representatives, and forestry or forest products
industries representatives which shall meet, from time to time, with
the compact administrators. Each member state shall name one member
of the Senate and one member of the House of Representatives, and the
Governor of each member state shall appoint one representative who
shall be the chairman of the state forestry commission or comparable
official and one representative who shall be associated with forestry
or forest products industries to comprise the membership of the
advisory committee. Action shall be taken by a majority of the
compacting states, and each state shall be entitled to one vote.
The compact administrators shall formulate and, in accordance with
need, from time to time, revise a regional forest fire plan for the
member states.
It shall be the duty of each member state to formulate and put in
effect a forest fire plan for that state and take such measures as may
be necessary to integrate such forest fire plan with the regional
forest fire plan formulated by the compact administrators.
ARTICLE IV.
Whenever the state forest fire control agency of a member state
requests aid from the state forest fire control agency of any other
member state in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires, it
shall be the duty of the state forest fire control agency of that
state to render all possible aid to the requesting agency which is
consonant with the maintenance of protection at home.
ARTICLE V.
Whenever the forces of any member state are rendering outside aid
pursuant to the request of another member state under this compact,
the employees of such state shall, under the direction of the officers
of the state to which they are rendering aid, have the same powers
(except the power of arrest), duties, rights, privileges and
immunities as comparable employees of the state to which they are
rendering aid.
No member state or its officers or employees rendering outside aid
pursuant to this compact shall be liable on account of any act or
omission on the part of such forces while so engaged, or on account of
the maintenance or use of any equipment or supplies in connection
therewith: Provided, that nothing herein shall be construed as
relieving any person from liability for his own negligent act or
omission, or as imposing liability for such negligent act or omission
upon any state.
All liability, except as otherwise provided herein, that may arise
either under the laws of the requesting state or under the laws of the
aiding state or under the laws of a third state on account of or in
connection with a request for aid, shall be assumed and borne by the
requesting state.
Any member state rendering outside aid pursuant to this compact
shall be reimbursed by the member state receiving such aid for any
loss or damage to, or expense incurred in the operation of any
equipment answering a request for aid, and for the cost of all
materials, transportation, wages, salaries, and maintenance of
employees and equipment incurred in connection with such request;
provided, that nothing herein contained shall prevent any assisting
member state from assuming such loss, damage, expense or other cost or
from loaning such equipment or from donating such service to the
receiving member state without charge or cost.
Each member state shall provide for the payment of compensation
and death benefits to injured employees and the representatives of
deceased employees in case employees sustain injuries or are killed
while rendering outside aid pursuant to this compact, in the same
manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death were sustained
within such state.
For the purposes of this compact the term "employee" shall include
any volunteer or auxiliary legally included within the forest fire
fighting forces of the aiding state under the laws thereof.
The compact administrators shall formulate procedures for claims
and reimbursement under the provisions of this article, in accordance
with the laws of the member states.
ARTICLE VI.
Ratification of this compact shall not be construed to affect any
existing statute so as to authorize or permit curtailment or
diminution of the forest fire fighting forces, equipment, services or
facilities of any member state.
Nothing in this compact shall be construed to limit or restrict
the powers of any state ratifying the same to provide for the
prevention, control and extinguishment of forest fires, or to prohibit
the enactment or enforcement of state laws, rules or regulations
intended to aid in such prevention, control and extinguishment in such
state.
Nothing in this compact shall be construed to affect any existing
or future cooperative relationship or arrangement between the United
States Forest Service and a member state or states.
ARTICLE VII.
The compact administrators may request the United States Forest
Service to act as the primary research and coordinating agency of the
South Central Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact in cooperation
with the appropriate agencies in each state, and the United States
Forest Service may accept the initial responsibility in preparing and
presenting to the compact administrators its recommendations with
respect to the regional fire plan. Representatives of the United
States Forest Service may attend meetings of the compact
administrators.
ARTICLE VIII.
The provisions of Articles IV and V of this compact which relate
to mutual aid in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires
shall be operative as between any state party to this compact and any
other state which is party to a regional forest fire protection
compact in another region; provided, that the legislature of such
other state shall have given its assent to such mutual aid provisions
of this compact.
ARTICLE IX.
This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on each
state ratifying it until the legislature or the Governor of such state
takes action to withdraw therefrom. Such action shall not be
effective until six (6) months after notice thereof has been sent by
the chief executive of the state desiring to withdraw to the chief
executives of all states then parties to the compact.
§2-1301-217.
The Governor is hereby designated as the official Compact
Administrator of the State of Oklahoma under the South Central
Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact herein authorized to be
executed, and shall exercise and perform for the State of Oklahoma all
the powers and duties imposed by the aforesaid compact upon the
compact administrator; provided, that the Governor shall have
authority to delegate the exercise of such powers and duties to the
Director of Forestry, Division of Forestry, Oklahoma Planning and
Resources Board, and the said Director of Forestry shall be assistant
Compact Administrator and shall act as the official representative of
the State of Oklahoma and compact administrator pursuant to the
delegation to him by the Governor of said powers and duties. In
addition, said Assistant Compact Administrator shall perform such
other duties as the Governor may designate which are necessary to
enable the State of Oklahoma fully to cooperate in accomplishing the
objects of said compact.
§2-1301-218.
The Oklahoma members of the Advisory Committee referred to in
Article III of the South Central Interstate Forest Fire Protection
Compact shall be selected as follows: One member shall be named from
the membership of the Senate of the State of Oklahoma by the President
Pro Tempore; One member shall be named from the membership of the
House of Representatives of the State of Oklahoma by the Speaker of
said House; Two members shall be appointed by the Governor, provided,
that one of the two members appointed by the Governor shall be the
Chairman of the Oklahoma Planning and Resources Board, and the other
member appointed by the Governor shall be a person associated with
forestry or forest products industries.
§2-1301-219.
Any employee of the State of Oklahoma who is injured or killed
while rendering aid outside the State of Oklahoma pursuant to the
provisions of the South Central Interstate Forest Fire Protection
Compact shall be entitled to compensation and death benefits, if any,
in the same manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death
were sustained within the State of Oklahoma.